Mainland manufacturer for MTR secretly recalls 35 trains from Singapore due to cracks

In recent years, Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation has made many purchases of Chinese-made trains, including several deals with CSR Sifang. In March 2012, after its successful HK$1.74 billion bid, CSR Sifang was awarded the XLR contract to supply nine CRH380A trains, each containing eight train cars. With three of the trains already completed, the first batch of trains are due to be shipped later this year. In July 2015, MTR Corporation announced a HK$6 billion contract with CSR Sifang to buy 93 French-designed trains of eight train cars each to fully replace the first generation, British-made trains now serving the Kwun Tong, Tsuen Wan, Tseung Kwan O, and Island Lines. According to MTR Corporation’s 2015 business overview, 115 trains operate in the urban lines during peak hours, meaning the new trains will make up over 70% of urban line trains in the future. The contract is MTR...